Let me start by apologising if this is in the wrong area - I wasn't sure where to post this. I am quite new to arduino but have started with an experimenter's kit and am currently trying to move my sketch to a standalone breadboard. I have followed several tutorials from the arduino site (http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Standalone) but just can't seem to make any sketches work (just basic blink sketches - nothing fancy).

One thing I forgot to mention - when I put the ATMega328P with the loaded sketch back into my Arduino Eleven board, the blink sketch works perfectly, it's just in the breadboard I'm not getting the blinking LEDs. I've triple-checked my wiring and connections and can't see anything obvious I missed (but at this stage I will be happy to be proved wrong). Does anyone have any experience with this chip on a breadboard - have a missed a step like burning the bootloader (I assumed I don't have to do this step) or anything else I need to do when moving this chip to a breadboard?

Thanks for the circuit above - I'll re-wire my breadboard to look like that and let you know if it makes any difference. I appreciate the assistance!

MildTurkey wrote:One thing I forgot to mention - when I put the ATMega328P with the loaded sketch back into my Arduino Eleven board, the blink sketch works perfectly, it's just in the breadboard I'm not getting the blinking LEDs. I've triple-checked my wiring and connections and can't see anything obvious I missed (but at this stage I will be happy to be proved wrong). Does anyone have any experience with this chip on a breadboard - have a missed a step like burning the bootloader (I assumed I don't have to do this step) or anything else I need to do when moving this chip to a breadboard?

Thanks for the circuit above - I'll re-wire my breadboard to look like that and let you know if it makes any difference. I appreciate the assistance!

You don't need to burn any bootloader - it's on the chip when you bought it.
Here's the latest revision of the new breadboard Arduino tutorial --

Wow! I had so hoped I was just making a rookie mistake and with your help I found it. In step 5 you connected the top and bottom centre 5V and ground rails of the breadboard - I had not realised the rails were not continuous so had not connected them.

Thank-you so much for this tutorial, it has put me back on track and I will continue to learn and tinker.

MildTurkey wrote:Wow! I had so hoped I was just making a rookie mistake and with your help I found it. In step 5 you connected the top and bottom centre 5V and ground rails of the breadboard - I had not realised the rails were not continuous so had not connected them.

Thank-you so much for this tutorial, it has put me back on track and I will continue to learn and tinker.

Great news It's always the little things that drive us nuts.
Have fun
John